Maggie Taylor + Enjoy the Weekend!

Some fascinating fairy tale images from digital artist/photographer Maggie Taylor. Check out her images for Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland from Modernbook Editions.

My bestfriends from fourth grade are in town this weekend! Yay!

J. Morgan Puett, Part Two

I recently wondered about J. Morgan Puett, which led me to Mildred's Lane - her home and the name and location of her latest project/collaboration/experiment/life-as-art/artist colony.

“What I’m really interested in is the future and what it looks like,” she said, and “in inventing a future through history and material culture and art.”

Read the rest of Alastair Gordon's NYT article here. Be sure to see the rest of Phil Mansfield's beautiful images of JMP's home/life/home life/refrigerator as gallery space here.

Santos, if you visit Mildred Lane, will you swing by NY and visit Brooklyn?

When a Gloomy Bear Gets Cold

We all know and love Gloomy Bear. But, what, no one told me about Gloomy Bear Gloves?! Winter, come back!

And did you meet Oink Le Rouge?

*All found yesterday afternoon, while making a quick gift purchase at Yoyashop.

Susan kae Grant

I just discovered Susan kae Grant's work. I love these haunting and moody scenes, a production straight from the artist's subconscious (from JR Compton for the Dallas Arts Revue):

To bring the imagery out of her subconscious into photographs, Grant slept at a University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center sleep center, where each time she reached REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, indicating the onset of dreams, she'd be awakened and asked questions about the imagery she was experiencing. The gallery has an impressive photo showing the artist plugged into all the high tech electrodes.

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Oh, and not that she reads this, but -- Happy Birthday, Mommy!

ICFF 2008: 3form's Play Capiz Collection

Another capiz shell-centric (and dog-centric) post.

I live in a loft, and I'm always on the lookout for 3form's latest ecoresin-panel offerings for when I imagine I can afford to renovate my place. I can never pick a favorite material - seaweed, flowers, twigs? Well, I could never pick a favorite until now. And so I'll have a housewarming party after the panels are installed. The invitation will come from The Capiz Palace, and you'll know it's from me.

ICFF 2008: Tay Trading

These lamps from UK-based Tay Trading caught my eye because they reminded me so much of traditional Filipino lighting. Made from fibre glass, these fixtures capture that pearly luster that is characteric of capiz shells. And sure enough, there is a Filipino connection.

ICFF 2008: gino the dog

I'm dog-crazy, so of course I oooh'd and ahh'd all over Gaia & Gino's pet line, gino the dog. This is such a swanky dog house. Designed by Brian McIntyre, the Loop house is made of leather, with a hypo-allergenic-covered memory foam that is upholstered in a choice of fabrics.

The Chew toy is designed not to inhibit poochie's natural inclination to attack that favored-furniture-part that are the legs, but to prevent damage. Indulgent pet parents will appreciate this.

The Supremes at the V&A

London's Victoria & Albert Museum just opened The Story of the Supremes from the Mary Wilson Collection, which traces the evolution of the Supremes' style. I wonder whether a look into their evolving hairstyles will be included? Anyone London-bound? Bring me? D, should we plan a trip?

And I just love this poster from their 1965 Lincoln Center concert.

2008 BD+ [Brooklyn Designs: Design Accessories Market]

This is the second year of BD+ -the design accessories market at Bklyn Designs. Last year's market had ventilation problems, and I remember visiting on a particularly humid day. This year the market was at the Tobacco Warehouse, under a tent on the grounds of the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park. I loved the location! But that's me, I'm not too sure the BD+ exhibitors appreciated the chill.

The weather gave my friend Sveta of Pip-Squeak Chapeau a chance to model her shoulder warmer, which she was wearing when I stopped by her booth to say hello. Sveta continues to create her charming folk-infused clothing, home and fashion accessories, and has even started making dolls. Hardly civil wrongs, these torts are the epitome of right and grace.

I loved browsing through Lotta Jansdotter's booth, which I left empty-handed not because I couldn't find anything, but because I was overwhelmed with all the choices! Lotta is the master of nature-inspired minimalism, and I'm a big slobbering fan. Some favorites: the Echo Cushions and the Cross Apron.

It was great to see Tina Shoulders of Laidback Home. I loved her collection at last year's market, and I continue to admire her collection of street-inspired home accessories. Only Tina's sense of play and obvious design talent can bring us patterns made from breakdancers and skulls. And her collection is expanding! Be sure to check her site for her upcoming bedding collection. I suggest a future expansion into wallpaper - but then, I may be biased as I am a wallcoverings nut (see previous post for evidence of wallcoverings-affliction).

New York Design Week starts on Saturday!

Bklyn Designs 2008

I spent the past week running around with a childhood friend searching for her new apartment for when she, her husband, and their daughter move here next month. Seeing beautiful apartments, rat holes, former rat holes in the midst of renovation, and the Carnival that is the Manhattan Apartment Search put me in the right head for this year's Bklyn Designs.

After seeing so many bare white walls for rent, I swooned over all the innovative designs for wall coverings at this year's show.

From ASTERISK DESIGNS, handmade venetian plaster wallpaper:

and venetian plaster, which is marble dust and wax, on burlap

From POST LOGIC STUDIO, William Morris-inspired patterns using animal motifs. (Their wallpaper collection will be debuting on their website in August.)

And I think I'm going to order these beautiful wall decals from dVider.

Sinotique's beautiful bamboo wall just took my breath away. Check out their other pieces here.

And even though this piece had nothing to do with a wall, I did fall in love with Palo Samko's wooden bird mobile

Steampunk

My people, my people, where art ye? I'm really loving Ruth La Ferla's article on the Steampunk Movement in today's NY Times Style Section. I went through something of an Edwardian/Victorian phase in college, which I was still sportin' when I moved to New York, but soon abandoned after being confronted with the humidity. Once in a while, I will still wear a vintage lace blouse and dust off the waistcoat, but alas, it rarely goes with my sneakers, which are essential footwear when walking home to Brooklyn from midtown. Be sure to check out Robert Wright's images accompanying the article.